ORLANDO, FL :- Her journey from small town North Dakota to the national stage is about to get even brighter.
Sophia Richards is scheduled to depart from Fargo tomorrow on her path to become the newest Miss America.
The Hope, North Dakota woman says she has been competing in pageants since the age of 16. She participated in Miss North Dakota Teen for three years, finishing runner-up each time.
A friend pushed Richards to compete for Miss North Dakota. She was a non-finalist in her first Miss North Dakota competition. The next year, she finished first runner-up.
“I got too close to just giving it up,” she explained. Richards had considered quitting pageantry two years previously after failing to get to the final round.
The third time was a charm.
“I think my story is a story of perseverance and not giving up on your dreams,” she told me.
And now Richards will board an aircraft bound for Orlando, where she will compete for the title of Miss America until January 1.
When she gets in Orlando, she will be one of 52 contestants competing for the crown.
Her goal? Make the top ten.
“I’m not deterred by that (52 competitors),” she told the audience. “I’ve always loved competition.”
She aspires to win at least one preliminary award and place in the top ten.
Growing up in rural North Dakota.
Hope is a 250-person village located in rural Steele County. It is 42 miles north of Valley City on Highway 32, or 72 miles northwest of Fargo via Highway 38 and Interstate 94.
That leaves few opportunities for a young child to grow up.
“I didn’t have the opportunities that a lot of folks did,” Richards remembers. “I had to create opportunities for myself.”
Richards hosts a lifestyle television show during the week.
“I literally have my ideal job about an hour away from where I grew up, in tiny town North Dakota,” she told me.” “You don’t have to move to a major city or out of your own state to pursue your aspirations.
“I am literally living the dream in the state where my family has farmed for five generations.”
Richards believes that fact is significant.
Advice for Future Pageant Participants
Richards advises anyone considering pageantry to “don’t think about it.”
“Just do it,” she replied. “It’s really important to push yourself out of your comfort zone to expand your horizons, and nothing will do that like a pageant.”
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